The sun., 1887-04-03
BATTLING FOR FREE SHOPS.
MaSSACHUSETTS MANUFACTURERS
THROW DOWN THE GAUNTLET.


M4SSACHUSETTS MANUFACTURERS
THROW DOWN THE GAUNTLET.
They Threaten that they wall Control Their
shops, Move Elsewhere, 60 Out OF
Business-The Knixhts Don't Think Either
Cearse Necessary-A Test sf Endurance.
BosToN, April 2.-The great battle for FREQ
shops has become simply u test Of endurance.
In Worcester county tho crisis has almost
passed, while in Hnverhill and one or two other
places the struggle has not SO far advanced.
The Haverhill trouble has not become an open
free-shop issue. The manufacturers arc 10th
to go to that extreme in their dispute with the
employees. The workmen are better organized
there than their brethren In Worcester county,
and they would, on the whole, have the chances
OF success In their favor in the present situa-
tion. The manufacturers realize this and 30
are inclined to await the result in Worcester
before beginning 30 desperate a struggle. Tho
men. too, know their power, and their present
determination seems to bo to use II even to
the extent Of refusing to listen to the manu-
facturors' request for revision Of the wage
schedule.
The effect OF this refusal. the manufacturers
state will be to compel many Of their number
to stop business or to move their shops to
country towns, whore they can employ and
train non-union help. The mon cay they have
no fear Of such result. They bolieve tho
manufacturers overstate tho difficulties OF the
business situation. They deny that Hnverhill
wages nre higher than those paid In all union
shops The manufacturers argument that any
scale OF wages is exorbitant which yields few
workmen $40 to $50 per week tho men declare is
not sound. There arc very few, indeed, who can
earn such wages. and the average is very much
lnsa hutS A., 30
fact tho workmen say that the most skilful
lastcrs and other shoe employees In the world
work In the Haverhill shops They are few In
number, and some Of them do earn the maxi
mum figures complained OF by the manufac-
turers. But what difference does 1t make to
the manufacturers, the men ask whether ono.
two. or three men last quantity OF shoes II
the work is well done, and the cost o. tho labor
is the same? They do not feel called upon
under this statement OF the case to make any
concessions
One firm. SWEET l. Bond. has taken the bull
men and put non-union men in their places.
This OF course caused the remaining union
S sshs es sssss Rs tses Gi n To DO 10
ono Of three things-run free shop, move else
where, or go out Of business entirely. They have
s hase sss ali themsn an TSe
Labor deny this. While one shop may be able
il Would be impossible for ali the factories in
town to keep, in operation on free-shop
basis. II the Worcester county manufacturers
decisive effect in. Haverhiil and the factories
there would doubtless at once post free-shop
SSs shasi doWn
moval Of a few factories,
proved for the striking and locked. out en-
ployees in Worcester county within a week.
i Il Is more than nine weeks since the great
esG ,St s and
aHya ally empoyed are N now wa work. and that @
siderably more than half the usual amount Of
oS SHk S BaodecS t es nenrS HsH 5 orss
f at work and in lBT9okhs!d mere Ss thu, thna
make ns for F the @ se when se,s
Outraged s @ this idea and have frightened ed away way
weTk the Yhs G soms scasy n scy q bsaas bas to
any % event ito Two at least Of the Arms who have
never used lasting machines are putting them
ing machine on the average takes the place OF
Thomas =. Barry Of the General Board.
Worcester county situation during three Gr
Knshts and Iasters' Union. MI ST; Barry eIysss ss
Isaac L. Prouty, one Of the leading manufac-
'!fs said ID i to him: II you will take down your
p!oyees, we will meet you and discuss the
MIR Prouty said that will not do. I said:
We. were. not the aggressorS;. We are standing
on the defensive; and we will be the last to sur
,""'I have employed men in good faith since
this trouble began. To many Of them have
guaranteed steady employment. and 1t would
not be honorable to discharge them and rein
state those who are out.
rat shop and put them into It, asked him
to explain why the notices were posted He
''F!!TThh F!The manufacturers were forced to do it,
as they were tErannized oyer , by the labor or, or;
Union or Knights Of Labor, but 4 2 controversy
arises in any depart tment we would meet COM
mittee from that department and try to settle
o The e hm B%rd Of aa n Se
ization instead OF TO the committee, und thon,
in case of failure to agree to go to the State
b S SRSn Taboa noi
replied & you will mot snd drssGgnze ;
The men in Spencer especially are having a
hard time. The contributors fro from % the knights
among @ several hundred recipients. Their pa
| tience IL nearly exhausted. few have already
driftod away. Others will soon do 80; Very
| frce-shOp notice. II n break does come. the
body oft tho men win Ge shut out il Is stiil
but the manufacturers undoubtedly are
| sronger than the men In the present situation.
1t is hardly possible to indicate even ven apProxi-
SrpTnus ry sRaE aGAyNST DR REaRS